Ice pick or tool



March 29, 1938. H. DREYFUSS ICE PICK OR TOOL Filed Aug. 15, 1935Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES ICE PICK 0R TOOL Henry Dreyfuss,New York, N. Y., assignor to The Washburn Company, Worcester, Mass., acorporation of Massachusetts Application August 15, 1935, Serial No.36,356

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to ice picks, or similar tools, adaptedfor either chopping off pieces of ice from a cake, or for cracking apiece of ice into small particles.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved ice pickcharacterized by the provision of a handle so formed that it readilyfits the hand when using the pointed shank of the tool for chopping ice,the handle being weighted so that it always strikes a most effectiveblow when cracking ice. Furthermore the handle, while round, will notroll appreciably when laid on a plane surface, by reason of theweighting thereof which always brings the tool to rest. The above andother advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fullyappear from the following description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of an ice pick embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of the tool shown in Fig. 1, with theeifect of weighting the handle indicated diagrammatically ,in dottedlines.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig, 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the tool shown in Fig. 1, lookingfrom the shank end.

Fig. 6 illustrates the tool held in the hand for chopping ice.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring to the drawing, the ice pick or tool consists of a handle I,preferably composed of wood or other similar light material, with apointed metallic pick 2 extending from one end of the handle which alsocarries a metallic ferrule 3. The opposite end of the handle terminatesin a rounded bulbous portion 4, one side of which is cut away at 5 toreceive a metallic weight 6 having a flat surface engaging the cutawayportion 5 and a rounded surface substantially continuous with therounded surface of the handle portion 4.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the weight 6 provides a shank 1 adapted to makea drive fit within an opening 8 of the handle portion 4, so that theweight becomes a substantially integral portion of the handle. In viewof the fact that the metallic weight 6 is of much heavier material thanthe handle I, it necessarily follows that when the tool is placed on aplane surface, as shown in Fig. 3, the handle will always tend to assumea position in which the weight 6 is lowermost. Furthermore, when thetool is held by the pick 2, the relatively thin pick 2 will tend to turn5 in the fingers until the weight 6 at the free end of the handle Ifaces downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to use the tool for the purpose of chopping offpieces of ice from a solid cake, the bulbous portion 4 of the handlereadily fits within the hand of the user, with the fingers and thumbsubstantially enclosing the portion 4, as shown in Fig. 6. With thehandle so held, the pick 2 extends straight out from the closed hand, sothat movement of the hand causes the point of the pick to penetrate theice cake and remove pieces of ice therefrom with a minimum of effort.

When it is desired to crack up into small particles a piece of icepreviously chopped off, the tool is seized by means of the pick portion2, whereupon as previously pointed out, the tool tends to turn on itsaxis until the weight 6 faces downwardly. Then when blows are struck onthe piece of ice by the handle portion 4, the weight 6 will alwaysengage the ice so as to give a maximum shattering effect. Furthermore,the fact that the ice is always engaged by the weight 6 prevents damageon the remainder of the handle.

Should the tool be laid on a plane surfaceas a table, after use, it willnot roll and drop to the floor, with possibility of the pointed pick 2causing damage. On the contrary, should the tool be laid on the surfacewith its weight 6 to the right or to the left of the full line positionof the weight in Fig. 3, the handle portion 4 will tend to roll back andforth until the weight assumes its lowermo-st position. While the handlewill tend to make one or more oscillations, as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 3, it will not make a complete revolution, due to the fact thatthe weight 6 will always tend to turn in the direction of the arrows,with the amplitude of the oscillations becoming less, until the weightcomes to rest in the full line position of Fig. 3.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by the present invention thereis provided an improved ice pick or tool so constructed that it may bereadily seized for the purpose of either chopping o-r cracking ice, andbe used with a minimum expenditure of effort.

I claim:

A tool of the class described, characterized by a handle provided at oneend with a pointed pick 55 ing of such form as to complete the sphericaloutline of the handle portion where it is cut away,

and the weight of the striking member acting to prevent rolling of thetool when laid on a support, and also to orient the tool when held inthe hand for striking purposes.

' HENRY DREYFUSS.

